Culture
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All Shades Of Kumbh
So, the stampede happened. Each death is a tragedy but there’s also perspective – crores of people were at the Kumbh. VIPs given special access to the holy waters seldom face problems. It’s ordinary people who die.
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Facts About Kumbha Mela
People have been gathering at the confluence (sangam) of rivers in India for thousands of years. A confluence of rivers is called Prayag.
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World Is a Playground, Life Is a Sport
In mythological tales, gods and heroes do play games and sports…Games and sports were invented by human beings for various reasons.
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The Kumbh Mela Is More About ‘Shakti’ Than ‘Moksha’
It is a ritual gathering that has nothing to do with meditation or contemplation. It is all about taking a dip in a particular spot in the river at the right time after it has been consecrated by bathing ascetics.
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Contribution of Tribes to Indian Culture
The words used for tribes range from adivasi (earliest inhabitants) to vanavasi (forest dwellers) to atavika (forest folk) to girijan (mountain folk). Other words used for specific tribes are Nishadha and Kirata.
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A Starry Network of Arabian Trade
The word monsoon comes from the Arabic word ‘mausam’, meaning season. Incidentally, the word ‘ara’ in Sanskrit means desert.
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How Currency Notes, Piece of Fabric and Thali Symbolise India’s Diversity
India is neither superior nor inferior to other nations—it is simply different, shaped by history, geography, and the interplay of numerous cultures. The lesson for the world is that India’s diversity is not a challenge but its strength, and understanding…
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Satan, Santa, Sanat, Sant
Anagrams are fun. They are also thought provoking. Reorganise the letters and the word takes a totally different meaning. Here are three such words: Satan, Santa, and Sanat.
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Why Hindu Gods Dance, and Those In Other Religions Don’t
Dance is an integral part of culture. It cannot be captured in a museum — except as photographs or videos. But as a performance, it is something that changes with time and space. Therefore, like music, it is an intangible…
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In the Lion’s Royal Shadow
Lions have long been symbols of royalty across the world. In India, kings sat on lion thrones (simha-asana), and Durga, the patron goddess of royal households, is shown riding into battle on a lion. Uniquely, in our country, lions are…
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How Is Indian Music Different From Western Music?
Music was not linked with the ascetic. It was popular with bhakti saints. Music was a sin in orthodox Christian and Muslim circles, except songs and hymns in praise of God. Music thus reveals a lot about culture.
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Nun With Shaved Head
A new-age guru has been establishing a monastic order for women, encouraging them to wear simple clothes, shave their heads, and break all ties with their families, as they seek union with the divine through the guru. This practice has…
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Samadhi: Suicide or Sacrifice?
Suicide was sin in many cultures and so the only way they could justify encouraging soldiers to rush to their death in battle was by renaming it glamorously. There is no Sanskrit word for martyr.
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Why Are Historians Averse to Mythology?
Historians refuse to engage with mythology generally. In fact, many hold it in contempt. History emerged as an opposition to folklore, mythology, and memory cultures in the 19th century when these subjects were invented.
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India’s Rich History of Trade and Cultural Exchanges
India has had relations with cultures around the subcontinent by both land and sea. By land, it was connected across the Hindu Kush to Persia (modern-day Iran) as well as Central Asia. By sea, it was connected to Persia, Arabia,…